By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
A LAWYER HAS ASKED the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to cancel the certificates of candidacy of former Senators Franklin Drilon and Sergio Osmeña III.
In two separate motions filed with the Comelec Friday, lawyer Vladimir Cabigao said Drilon and Osmeña should be disqualified from the senatorial race because they have “not completed the prohibitory of one term, or six years†from their last term in 2007.
The one-term interval from their last tenure is required for senators who have served two consecutive terms, Cabigao argued.
Both Drilon and Osmeña are running for the Senate under the Liberal Party banner.
Drilon, a former Senate president, and Osmeña, did not run in the 2007 mid-term elections as the Charter bans them from serving more than two consecutive terms, which amounts to 12 years each.
Osmeña is running as an independent in the 2010 polls, but the LP has reserved a slot for him.
Cabigao said the two ex-senators could only seek another term “in the 2013 elections†when they would have completed the “six years or one term interval to comply with the constitutional mandate that no Senator shall serve for more than two consecutive terms.â€
Pending the resolution of the petition, Cabigao asked the Comelec to exclude the names of Drilon and Osmeña from the ballots.
Cabigao is running for councilor in Manila under LA Atienza, son of Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, who formed a breakaway group from Drilon in LP. Cabigao, in an interview, said he would withdraw from the race.
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